The defining characteristic of our age may be summed up by the word “stupidity,” which may be defined as the impaired spiritual, moral, and mental condition of acculturated people (even seemingly intelligent ones) that has rendered them incapable of honestly evaluating truth claims and thinking logically (Rom. 1:28). Such “stupidity” has been inculcated by pop culture, scripted by mass media; propagated by the “dumbing down” of our educational system, and disseminated by godless political correctness propaganda for several generations now… Today we live in a morally insane and lawless culture that is incapable of self-governance — a culture that has become entirely reprobate before the eyes of heaven.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was surrounded by the atrocious evil of Nazi Germany, regarded the stupidity of his age as more dangerous than outright evil, since stupidity is a type of irrationality, a chosen ignorance of what is real and true. Against such willed ignorance we are often defenseless, since logical reasoning that appeals to objective truth for its premises finds no traction, carries no weight, and has no effect. The devil, then, seeks first of all to stupefy people, that is, to flatter and persuade them that there is no need for them to engage in serious thinking or to humbly question their assumptions… As William James observed: “A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” The antidote to unthinkingly accepting the biases and inculcated prejudices of the world is to be awakened to the reality of God: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10).
The central axiom of all right thinking about reality is “wonder,” or the humble awareness that life itself is something mysteriously beautiful, amazing, and therefore inherently sacred. This is sometimes called yirat Adonai (יִרְאַת יְהוָה), “the fear of the LORD” that leads to wisdom. Right thinking therefore begins with consciousness of the good (הַכָּרַת טוֹבָה), that is, with an awareness that life itself a gift, a mystery, and a hallowed question… We seek our origin, our essence, and our purpose — and in our seeking we seek the LORD. We long for deliverance from what keeps us from healing, from love, from real hope. And as we seek, the wonder of the LORD God never ends. As Yeshua said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7).
God does not love you based on your obedience, but his love for you will lead you to obedience… It is only after accepting that you are accepted despite yourself — despite your inherent inability to please God, despite your incurably sick heart, despite your disobedience, sin, and so on — it is only then that earnest, Spirit-enabled obedience may spontaneously arise within your heart. In that sense “obedience” is like falling in love with someone. It is your love that moves you to act and to express your heart, and were you prevented from doing so, you would undoubtedly grieve over your loss… Therefore the “law of the Spirit of Life in Messiah” is first of all empowered by God’s grace and love. We walk by faith, hope, and love – these three. And this explains why the very first step of teshuvah (repentance) is to love God: Shema! Ve’ahavta et Adonai… The first work of faith is to believe in the miracle that God’s love is “for-you-love…”
Was Jesus (Yeshua) really born on December 25th, as the Western Christian Tradition maintains, or does the careful study of Scripture allow us to infer a different time for His advent here on earth? Two cases can be reasonably made: one case for a Tishri (Sukkot) birth, and the other for the traditional late December (or early January) date. As I hope you will see, the crux of the arguments both for and against the late December dating of the birth of Yeshua depend upon when we think Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father) was in the Temple when he was visited by the angel Gabriel…
Regarding the birth of Messiah it is written in our Scriptures: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the dominion shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called: ‘the Wonderful Counselor (פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ), the Mighty God (אֵל גִּבּוֹר), the Father of Eternity (אֲבִיעַד), the Prince of Peace'” (Isa. 9:6). “Unto us a child is born” – this is the first advent – when the Messiah would be rejected, suffer, and die for our sins; and “unto us a son is given” – this is the second advent – when the Messiah will reign as David’s greater regent in the kingdom promised to Zion.
Reflecting on the role of suffering in the heart of faith, Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote: “Here is the decisive difference between Christianity and all religions. Man’s religiosity makes him look in his distress to the power of God in the world: God is the deus ex machina. The Bible directs man to God’s powerlessness and suffering: only a suffering God can help” (Letters and Papers from Prison). Bonhoeffer’s comment alludes to the difference between an “Elohim” (אֱלהִים) conception of God as the omnipotent power and Judge of reality, and the “YHVH” (יהוה) conception of God as the compassion Source and Breath of life – the Suffering God who empties himself to partake of our condition – to know our pain, to bear our sorrows, to heal us from the sickness of spiritual death, and to touch us in the loneliness of our exile… The Spirit enables us to “groan” in compassion, directing us away from the impulse to “kill the pain” to accept it as part of our lament and need for connection with God.
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Though the whole earth is filled with the miracles and glory of the LORD, we must choose to see, to open our hearts, and to become God’s partners in calling forth goodness and truth. God is the Source of all Light and truth, and therefore we first turn to receive his radiance within our heart. As Yeshua said, “Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your heavenly Father” (Matt. 5:16).
“God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Yeshua said: “I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). The ultimate message of 
